Lawmakers Ready to Approve Use of Medical Marijuana

By
The Local
on August 17, 2010

Doctors could write prescriptions for cannabis, and pharmacies would be authorised to sell the plant once the law had been adjusted, a member of the junior coalition party, the pro-business Free Democrats (FDP), said Monday.

Marijuana would also be permitted for use as a pain reliever for the terminally ill in hospices and other care facilities, making it a legal part of their emergency pain-relief stocks.

“With this, the sickest people will always have a pain-relieving substance available,” said Ulrike Flack, the FDP’s health policy spokesperson.

The new law will end a long-running struggle between German officials, doctors and health insurers over use of the proven herbal therapy for treating the pain stemming from diseases such as cancer and multiple sclerosis.

According to the International Association for Cannabinoid Medicines (ACM), only 40 patients in the country are currently allowed a medical marijuana prescription – even though law enforcement generally tolerates small amounts for personal use.

Almost two years ago, the conservative Christian Democrats, the FDP and the centre-left Social Democrats all voted against loosening medical marijuana laws. Opponents had warned of the drug’s alleged potential for addiction and doubted its medical benefits.

” I don’t think there’s any question that pot is better for your body than...

Comments

8 Comments

Don Marijuano on
August 23, 2010 6:18 pm

THE FACTS about the misleading information medical cannabis in germany , a statement by Dr.Franjo Grotenhermen:

“There are media reports that the German government is intending to ease the access to cannabis for medicinal purposes. Most of the reports are misleading. The German government has agreed on allowing for pharmaceutical companies to apply for approvals on cannabis-based medicines in Germany. This is necessary to allow the British company GWPharmaceuticals to apply for an approval of their cannabis extract Sativex in Germany. Sativex is already available in the UK and Spain for the treatment of spasticity in multiple sclerosis sufferers,and the company announced in July that applications for this indication have also been made in Italy, France, Germany and other European countries. Approvals are expected in 2011.

No other changes with regard to the medical use of cannabis are intended by the German government. The German Association for Cannabis as Medicine is calling the media reports initiated by the German Government as “misleading”, since they suggest that cannabis will be available in Germany soon for many patients,while it is only for spasticity in MS after the approval of Sativex for this indication.

Currently two possibilities exist for a treatment with cannabis based medicines in Germany:(1) Prescription of dronabinol or nabilone by physicians. Unfortunately, the health insurances are usually not obligated to pay for such a treatment.(2) Special permission by the government to use cannabis for medicinal purposes. Currently, only about 40 patients are permitted to do so and can buy cannabis in pharmacies imported from the Netherlands.”

Anonymous on
August 18, 2010 10:57 pm

Why do you assume that political words/names in Germany mean the same as they do in the US, or Canada?

NV NEWSWIRE on
August 18, 2010 12:18 pm

This is definitely awesome! It’s a really helpful article and I hope you could also get to visit my site so we can permeate ideas when it comes to legalizing medical marijuanas. Please drop some comments and let us know what you think about our website.

Desinged to promote extremist, irrational views “as far as HIV patients, if you want to suck cock and shove needles up your ass, you need to realize your monkey loving life” “Come on, get over it, legalize or forget about it! ” “Go lick an electric cable to see how you like artificial energy. ” as those of cannabis lovers. Why this person in on the site is obvious.

Anonymous on
August 18, 2010 1:10 am

Its too bad only deformed meat patties of humans are easily allowed weed. as far as HIV patients, if you want to suck cock and shove needles up your ass, you need to realize your monkey loving life is not the only reason medical legalization is necessary, others who need it just need it, if the law & doctors think you need to be half dead and a convulsing pile of jello before they feel confident feeding you herbal drugs, after the 20 different varieties of pills they tried first with ‘suicidal behavior’ as side effects that didn’t work or almost killed you if you miss a few??? Come on, get over it, legalize or forget about it! The longer we wait the more and more children are gonna be born with defects from chemicals over time and then the government will have all the puppets they need to use as lab rats for humans addiction to technology advancement. Go lick an electric cable to see how you like artificial energy. 80% of the population is infested with mercury already.